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Islam and Freedom of Speech: Difference between revisions
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*2008 - '''Ra'if Badawi''' was charged with “setting up an electronic site that insults Islam” for his website that details abuses by the Saudi religious police and questions the predominant interpretation of Islam (Wahhabism). Jeddah's prosecution service referred the case to the court and requested a 5-year prison sentence and a 3 million riyal (US$800,000) fine.<ref>[http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,,,SAU,,482d4226c,0.html Saudi Arabia: Stop Trials for 'Insulting' Islam] – Human Rights Watch – UNHCR, May 13, 2008</ref> | *2008 - '''Ra'if Badawi''' was charged with “setting up an electronic site that insults Islam” for his website that details abuses by the Saudi religious police and questions the predominant interpretation of Islam (Wahhabism). Jeddah's prosecution service referred the case to the court and requested a 5-year prison sentence and a 3 million riyal (US$800,000) fine.<ref>[http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,,,SAU,,482d4226c,0.html Saudi Arabia: Stop Trials for 'Insulting' Islam] – Human Rights Watch – UNHCR, May 13, 2008</ref> | ||
*2007 - '''Sabri Bogday''', a Turkish barber, was sentenced to death on blasphemy charges after an unfair | *2007 - '''Sabri Bogday''', a Turkish barber, was sentenced to death on blasphemy charges after an trial which Amnesty International called unfair.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080512171940/https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE23/014/2008/en/224d8f73-115a-11dd-a414-a101e24af105/mde230142008eng.html Saudi Arabia: Death penalty/ unfair trial, Sabri Bogday] - Amnesty International, April 23, 2008</ref> Thankfully, King Abdullah, after receiving correspondence from Turkey's president and prime minister, pardoned Bogday and he was released to Turkey.<ref>[http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=118645&d=28&m=1&y=2009 Freed Turkish barber reaches home] - Ghazanfar Ali Khan - Arab News, January 28, 2009</ref> | ||
*2005 - '''Muhammad al-Harbi''' was sentenced by a Saudi court to more than three years in prison and 750 lashes for speaking to his students about his views on a number of current topics, such as Christianity, Judaism and the causes of terrorism.<ref name="teachers">[http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/11/16/saudi-arabia-teachers-silenced-blasphemy-charges Saudia Arabia: Teachers Silenced on Blasphemy Charges] - Human Rights Watch, November 16, 2005</ref> | *2005 - '''Muhammad al-Harbi''' was sentenced by a Saudi court to more than three years in prison and 750 lashes for speaking to his students about his views on a number of current topics, such as Christianity, Judaism and the causes of terrorism.<ref name="teachers">[http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/11/16/saudi-arabia-teachers-silenced-blasphemy-charges Saudia Arabia: Teachers Silenced on Blasphemy Charges] - Human Rights Watch, November 16, 2005</ref> | ||
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Great Britain's Home Office denied entry to Dutch MP [[w:Geert Wilders|Geert Wilders]] when he attempted to enter England on invitation from the UK Independence Party's Lord Pearson to show his controversial film ''Fitna'' at the House of Lords.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7885918.stm Dutch MP refused entry to Britain] - BBC News, February 12, 2009</ref> The movie raised ire among Muslims around the world. Pakistan's largest Muslim party, Jamaat-e-Islami, organized a protest outside a mosque in Karachi, and some protesters demanded Pakistan cut diplomatic relations with the Netherlands.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-03-28-2776464862_x.htm Pakistanis protest Dutch film] - Associated Press - USA Today, March 28, 2008</ref> Jordan charged Wilders with blasphemy and contempt of Muslims for making an anti-Koran film and ordered him to stand trial in the kingdom.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL015190420080701 Jordan charges Dutch politician with blasphemy] - Reuters, July 1, 2008</ref> In 2009, the Dutch court ordered prosecutors to put Wilders on trial for making anti-Islamic statements.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7842344.stm Islam film Dutch MP to be charged] - BBC News, January 21, 2009</ref> In response to the indictments, Wilders said he wants to put Islam on trial and that he is “considering calling on radical imams and other idiots as witnesses.”<ref>[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133418 Geert Wilders May Ask 'Muslim Idiots' to Testify in Hate Trial] - Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu - Israel National News, September 14, 2009</ref> His trial was set for January 2010.<ref>[http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/09/wilders_discrimination_case_in.php Wilders' discrimination case in January] - DutchNews.nl, September 14, 2009</ref> On October 13, 2009 Geert Wilders won his appeal to Britain's Asylum and Immigration Tribunal against the British government ban.<ref>[http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE59C34D20091013?rpc=401 Dutch anti-Islam MP overturns British ban] - Reuters, October 13, 2009</ref> On November 24, 2009 the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that a planned visit to Turkey by Dutch members of parliament would not be welcome if the delegation included Geert Wilders.<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,663638,00.html Turkey Frets about Geert Wilders' Planned Visit] - Bram Vermeulen - Spiegel Online International, November 26, 2009</ref> Wilders' called the Turkish Foreign Ministry's reaction "very stupid."<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=far-right-politician-slams-turkey8217s-reaction-as-8216stupid8217-2009-11-26 Far-right politician slams Turkey's reaction as 'stupid'] - Fulya Ozerkan - Hurriyet Daily News, November 26, 2009</ref> | Great Britain's Home Office denied entry to Dutch MP [[w:Geert Wilders|Geert Wilders]] when he attempted to enter England on invitation from the UK Independence Party's Lord Pearson to show his controversial film ''Fitna'' at the House of Lords.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7885918.stm Dutch MP refused entry to Britain] - BBC News, February 12, 2009</ref> The movie raised ire among Muslims around the world. Pakistan's largest Muslim party, Jamaat-e-Islami, organized a protest outside a mosque in Karachi, and some protesters demanded Pakistan cut diplomatic relations with the Netherlands.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-03-28-2776464862_x.htm Pakistanis protest Dutch film] - Associated Press - USA Today, March 28, 2008</ref> Jordan charged Wilders with blasphemy and contempt of Muslims for making an anti-Koran film and ordered him to stand trial in the kingdom.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL015190420080701 Jordan charges Dutch politician with blasphemy] - Reuters, July 1, 2008</ref> In 2009, the Dutch court ordered prosecutors to put Wilders on trial for making anti-Islamic statements.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7842344.stm Islam film Dutch MP to be charged] - BBC News, January 21, 2009</ref> In response to the indictments, Wilders said he wants to put Islam on trial and that he is “considering calling on radical imams and other idiots as witnesses.”<ref>[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133418 Geert Wilders May Ask 'Muslim Idiots' to Testify in Hate Trial] - Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu - Israel National News, September 14, 2009</ref> His trial was set for January 2010.<ref>[http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/09/wilders_discrimination_case_in.php Wilders' discrimination case in January] - DutchNews.nl, September 14, 2009</ref> On October 13, 2009 Geert Wilders won his appeal to Britain's Asylum and Immigration Tribunal against the British government ban.<ref>[http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE59C34D20091013?rpc=401 Dutch anti-Islam MP overturns British ban] - Reuters, October 13, 2009</ref> On November 24, 2009 the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that a planned visit to Turkey by Dutch members of parliament would not be welcome if the delegation included Geert Wilders.<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,663638,00.html Turkey Frets about Geert Wilders' Planned Visit] - Bram Vermeulen - Spiegel Online International, November 26, 2009</ref> Wilders' called the Turkish Foreign Ministry's reaction "very stupid."<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=far-right-politician-slams-turkey8217s-reaction-as-8216stupid8217-2009-11-26 Far-right politician slams Turkey's reaction as 'stupid'] - Fulya Ozerkan - Hurriyet Daily News, November 26, 2009</ref> | ||
===The Satanic Verses Controversy=== | ===The Satanic Verses Controversy=== | ||
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{{Quote|1=Prakash George, senior police inspector of Bandra police station|2=We have registered an FIR (first information report) against Shah Rukh Khan after we received an application from an advocate who alleged that the actor made some statements hurting the sentiments of Muslims. Complainant Khalid Babu Querishi alleged that in the July issue of the ''Time and Style'' magazine, Shah Rukh used objectionable language against the Prophet which was unacceptable.}} | {{Quote|1=Prakash George, senior police inspector of Bandra police station|2=We have registered an FIR (first information report) against Shah Rukh Khan after we received an application from an advocate who alleged that the actor made some statements hurting the sentiments of Muslims. Complainant Khalid Babu Querishi alleged that in the July issue of the ''Time and Style'' magazine, Shah Rukh used objectionable language against the Prophet which was unacceptable.}} | ||
Mufti Mohammed Shoeb Raza Qadri and Mufti Muti-ur-Rehman of the Darul-uloom-Mazhar-e-Islam stated that the entire Muslim community was hurt by Khan's statements and they issued a fatwa. Mufti Mohammad called Shahrukh a Kafir (non-believer) and such person should be thrown out of Islam. He also said that in an Islamic state such remarks would have called for a death penalty against the accused. He declared that Shahrukh's marriage with Gauri was nullified and Shahrukh must not be allowed to be buried in any Muslim graveyard.<ref>[http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/shahrukh-khan-fatwa-230609.html Shahrukh Khan gets a 'fatwa'] - Subhadeep Bhattacharjee – One India, June 23, 2009</ref> | Mufti Mohammed Shoeb Raza Qadri and Mufti Muti-ur-Rehman of the Darul-uloom-Mazhar-e-Islam stated that the entire Muslim community was hurt by Khan's statements and they issued a fatwa. Mufti Mohammad called Shahrukh a Kafir (non-believer) and said that such person should be thrown out of Islam. He also said that in an Islamic state such remarks would have called for a death penalty against the accused. He declared that Shahrukh's marriage with Gauri was nullified and Shahrukh must not be allowed to be buried in any Muslim graveyard.<ref>[http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/shahrukh-khan-fatwa-230609.html Shahrukh Khan gets a 'fatwa'] - Subhadeep Bhattacharjee – One India, June 23, 2009</ref> | ||
Shah Rukh responded to the accusations in an SMS message to IANS:<ref>[http://www.haqeeqat.org/2009/06/22/shah-rukh-khan-reacts-comments-on-prophet-mohammad-a-writing-error/ Shah Rukh Khan Reacts: Comments on Prophet Mohammad a Writing Error] – Omer Jamil – Haqeeqat.org, June 22, 2009</ref> | Shah Rukh responded to the accusations in an SMS message to IANS:<ref>[http://www.haqeeqat.org/2009/06/22/shah-rukh-khan-reacts-comments-on-prophet-mohammad-a-writing-error/ Shah Rukh Khan Reacts: Comments on Prophet Mohammad a Writing Error] – Omer Jamil – Haqeeqat.org, June 22, 2009</ref> | ||